Stator manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

Pivotal jaws of wire clamps that temporarily grip stator coil lead wires are spring biased to clamp stator coil lead wires thereto when the lead wires are inserted into the clamps at a winding station, and are biased by respective air actuators to ensure release of the lead wires at a coil lead terminating station.

I claim: 
     
       1. Stator manufacturing apparatus comprising: a stator support for a stator to be manufactured;   plural temporary wire clamps;   structures that support said wire clamps in fixed relation to said stator support;   mechanisms for moving said support with a stator core mounted thereon along with said clamps into a winding station and from the winding station to a coil lead terminating station;   mechanisms at said winding station that wind coils of wire on said stator core and insert lead wires extending to and from said coils into said wire clamps;   mechanisms at said coil lead terminating station that connect said lead wires to terminals or terminal supports affixed to said stator core by steps including the drawing of the coil lead wires from said temporary clamps;   wherein each of said wire clamps comprises a fixed clamp jaw having a first clamping surface, a pivotal clamp jaw having a second clamping surface confronting said first clamping surface, and a clamp spring biasing said movable clamp jaw so that said second clamping surface presses against said first clamping surface, said second clamping surface moving away from said first clamping surface when a coil lead wire is inserted between said clamp jaws at said winding station; and   plural air operated actuators, one for each of said temporary wire clamps, located adjacent said coil lead terminating station, each of said actuators engaging its associated said pivotal clamp jaw to pivot it against the bias of its associated clamp spring to move said second clamping surface thereof away from its associated first clamping surface to ensure release of the lead wire gripped thereby.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said air actuators has a linear moving piston rod, and said structures that support said wire clamps in fixed in relation to said stator support have openings therethrough in alignment with said piston rods. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said pivotal clamps has a release pin connected to said pivotal jaw that extends into one of said openings for engagement by its respective one of said piston rods. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a frame, wherein said mechanisms for moving said supports comprises a turret rotatably mounted with respect to said frame, and wherein said air actuators are fixed with respect to said frame. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of said air actuators has a linearly moving piston rod, and said structures that support said wire clamps in fixed in relation to said stator support have openings therethrough in alignment with said piston rods. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said pivotal clamps has a release pin connected to said pivotal jaw that extends into one of said openings for engagement by one of said piston rods. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mechanisms for moving said supports with a stator core mounted thereon comprises a turret and an indexer for rotating said turret. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of said air actuators has a linearly moving piston rod, and said structures that support said wire clamps in fixed in relation to said stator support have openings therethrough in alignment with said piston rods.